Rake device for shag carpets

ABSTRACT

A rake device for shag carpets having a housing with a handle thereon so that the rake having teeth can be moved over a shag carpet. The housing contains movable means therein which are positioned a predetermined distance above the shag carpet and which contact the shag carpet to fluff up the nap. This device may be used at any time to fluff up the shag rug, including after said rug has been cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.

United States Patent 91 Kopecky June 26, 1973 I RAKE DEVICE FOR SHAG CARPETS {76] Inventor: Louls E. Kopecky, 4th and Downing St., Hollister, Mo. 65672 [22] Filed: May 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 145,329

[52] US. Cl. 15/3, 15/41 R [51] Int. Cl A47l 13/00 [58] Field of Search 15/41, 49 RB, 79, 15/236, 383, 246, 373; 56/167; 172/101, 102; 171/58 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,516,107 6/1970 Bayless et al. 15/246 Rl8,583 8/1932 Flynn 15/373 X 939,765 11/1909 Walte 15/79 UX 2,092,230 9/1937 Thomas 15/79 2,867,069 l/l959 Ellis 56/l6.7 UX

3,538,533 11/1970 Woods .L 15/236 3,545,187 12/1970 Whitney 56/l6.7

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 748,107 4/1956 Great Britain l5/49 RB 284,034 11/ 1952 Switzerland 15/49 RB Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Gravely, Lieder & Woodrufi' [5 7] ABSTRACT A rake device for shag carpets having a housing with a handle thereon so that the rake having teeth can be moved over a shag carpet. The housing contains movable means therein which are positioned a predetermined distance above the shag carpet and which contact the shag carpet to fluff up the nap. This device may be used at any time to fluff up the shag rug, including after said rug has been cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.

13 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENIED SHEEI 1 0F 4 &//////////// ///////A FbLLLT PAIENTEU JUN 2 5 ms SHEEI30F4 FIGH [/1111 II I .1 I

FIG,I2

; f it/0 W Ivar/mew RAKE DEVICE FOR SHAG CARPETS This invention relates to an improved rake device for a shag carpet, and in particular, to an improved rake device which is mounted in a housing having a handle thereon so that the entire device may be pushed across a shag rug.

In recent years, shag rugs or carpets have become increasingly popular. These rugs have nap or strings or other material which is quite lengthy compared to the ordinary rug. Frequently these are about 1.5 inches or more in length. The individual strings or fibers or tufts which make up the nap of the shag rug tend to lie flatly against the floor after a period of use, and also, after the rug has been cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. To improve the appearance of such a shag rug and to fluff up the nap to give it the desired appearance, a rake or means must be used. At the present time, there are rake devices which resemble garden rakes for accomplishing this. In addition, some vacuum sweeper manufacturers have adjustments on newer model vacuum sweepers so as to lift the housing higher from the floor in order to vacuum or sweep such shag rugs with higher tufts. However, even when the rug has been vacuumed with the vacuum sweeper housing in an elevated position, it is necessary to fluff up the nap in order to restore the proper appearance of the shag rug.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a rake device which can be moved over a shag rug and which has means therein for fluffing up a wide strip in the rug as the rake is moved thereover. Another object is to provide a rake device which has wheels mounted on a housing which houses a rake which has teeth thereon which move in relation to said wheels for fluffing up said rug. Another object is to provide an inexpensive rake device wherein a motor is mounted within said housing and is operatively connected to movable teeth which fluff up the shag rug. Still another object is to provide a device wherein a driven wheel provides power to a movable rake with teeth thereon for fluffing up a shag rug, so that no electric motor or other power source is needed.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The invention is embodied in a rake device for shag carpets, said device comprising a housing having rotary floor contacting means therein, means mounted within said housing for supporting a rake having teeth thereon, and means for moving said teeth as said device is moved over a shag carpet.

The invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like numerals and letters refer to like parts wherever they occur:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rake device embodying my present invention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, with the housing partly broken, showing my rake device,

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and showing one wheel and a portion of a rake drum of said device, said wheel resting on a shag rug.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a toothed wheel forrning part of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rake drumsand motor with one wheel attached to the far end of each rake drum, and

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modified form of my invention,

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 9--9 of FIG. 8 of said modified form, and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the motor and rake plate and connection therebetween of said modified form,

FIG. 11 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of another modified form of my invention having oppositely rotating rakes, and

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11 also showing said rotating rakes,

FIG. 13 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of still another modified form of my invention having a pair of rake drums driven by the toothed wheels which contacts the shag rug,

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the modified rake device illustrated in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 1515 of FIG. 13 showing said latter modification.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that several embodiments of the invention have been shown. Each embodiment comprises a rake device 1 having a hosuing 2 with a handle 3 extending upwardly therefrom and movable means 4 which contact the shag carpet or rug 5 and permit the device 1 to be pushed over said rug 5 by said handle 3. In some embodiments, small power means, such as an electric motor 6 may be used. In other forms of the invention, the device is hand powered, and no electric motor or other source of power is needed, other than that supplied by the operator who pushes the device 1 across a shag carpet 5 on a floor F.

Referring now to the device shown in FIGS. 1-7, the rake device 1 comprises a housing 2 having three wheels 7 rotatably mounted thereon on axles 8. The axles 8 are adjustable relative to the housing 2 so that the height of the housing 2 above the rug may be altered. Each wheel 7 has fingers 9 thereon around the periphery to prevent the device 1 from making wheei tracks in the nap of the shag rug. Each wheel 7 is mounted on an axle 8 so that each wheel 7 is free to rotate relative to the housing 2. The housing 2 contains two rotatably mounted rods or axles 11 in spaced relation, which extend laterally or perpendicular to the line of travel of the device, which is shown by the arrow A in F IGS. 1 and 2. An electric motor 6 is mounted within the housing 2, said motor 6 having a shaft 10 extending from one of the motor end plates 12.

A front rake drum 13 is rotatably mounted on the front axle 11 and a rear rake drum 14 is rotatably mounted on the rear axle ll. Washers or bearings 15 may be positioned between the ends of the rake drums 13 and 14 and the inner surface of the housing 2. The shaft 10 has a double pulley l6 thereon, one groove of which registers with a reduced portion 17 of the front rake drum 13 and the other groove of which registers with a reduced portion 20 of the rear rake drum 14. A belt 18 connects the double pulley 16 with the front rake drum 13 in such a manner that the bottom of the rake drum 13 moves rearwardly, as shown in FIG. 3. Another belt 21 connects the double pulley 16 with the rear rake drum 14 in such a manner that the bottom of the rake drum 14 moves forwardly, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the rake drums l3 and 14 rotate in opposite directions shown by the arrows in FIG. 3 so that their bottom portions rotate toward the center of the housing 2. Each rake drum 13 and 14 has teeth 22 extending outwardly from the outer surface of the rake drum. The teeth 22 of the two drums l3 and 14 describe overlapping circles when the drums rotate and to prevent the teeth 22 on the two drums 13 and 14 from interferring with each other the teeth on the front drum 13 are staggered relative to the teeth 22 on the rear drum 14. Preferably, the teeth 22 of each drum l3 and 14 are arranged in four axially extending rows spaced 90 apart. The teeth 22 in each row are spaced 1 to l /4 inches apart and'are l M; to 2 inches long. Each tooth 22 is circular in cross-section and has a base portion 23 which is heavier or more rigid than the outer portion 24 thereof which terminates in a rounded tip 25. Preferably, the base portion 23 is about as inches diameter and the outer portion 24 is about .4; or 3/16 inches diameter. The teeth 22 are preferably molded from a somewhat resilient plastic.

The housing 2'is provided with a handle 3 which is suitably connected thereto, such as by a pivot connection 26. The handle 3 may have books 27 thereon for receiving the electric cord 28 when the device 1 is not in use.

In this form of the invention, each of the three wheels 7 is independent of each other and is not powered. If desired, two rear wheels instead of one may be employed and they'may be spaced apart a distance which is equal to or less than the distance the front wheels are spaced apart so that the rear wheels may or may not track the front wheels. The wheels 7 are provided to space the rotating rake drums 13 and 14 upwardly from the shag rug a predetermined distance D (FIG. 4) and to allow the device 1 to be moved over the shag rug 5 more easily than if no wheels 7 where provided. The wheels 7 may be adjusted relative to the housing 2 so as to alter the height at which the housing 2 is disposed above the rug backing, by providing a plurality of vertically spaced holes in the housing 2 for acccommodating of the axles 8. Each of the powered rotating rake drums l3 and 14 and the teeth 22 thereon may be made from plastic materials, or from rubber, or from any suitable material. Preferably, the teeth 22 are fairly rigid, but can be bent slightly if resistance is encountered. When the device 1 rests on the rug 5, as shown in FIG. 4, the tips 25 of the downwardly extending teeth 22 are so positioned that they are able, upon rotation, to lift or fluff up the nap on shag carpet. In practice, it is preferred to have the tips 25 about 0.25 inches above the backing of the shag'carpet 5. If the tips 25 are positioned too high, then they will be ineffective to fluff up the nap which is lying flatly against the backing. If the tips 25 are positioned too low, then the rake drums will be difficult to rotate and the teeth 22 may. tend to rub the shag carpet too strenuously.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-10, the device 1a comprises a housing 2a having a handle 3 connected thereto, said housing having wheels 7 with fingers 8 freely rotatable thereon.

The housing 2a contains support means in the form of end bars 29 which form parallel tracks extending across the front and rear of the housing 2a. A rake 30 is mounted in the tracks for oscillating movement in the housing 2a. The rake 30 has a plurality of downwardly extending teeth 22a thereon which are of sufficient length to contact and fluff up the nap of a shag rug 5. An electric gear motor 31 is connected'to the housing 2a and has a vertical drive shaft 33 extending therefrom. The drive shaft 33 is fitted with an eccentric or cam 34 thereon so as to oscillate or move the rake 30 back and forth with respect in the tracks of the bars 29. In this form of the invention, the motor 6 simply causes the teeth 22a to move laterally from side to side within the housing 2a or in a direction transverse thereof, which is in a direction perpendicular to the line of travel of the device. This lateral movement may vary, but a lateral distance of about 2 inches is preferred. The movement is accomplished by the eccentric 34 contacting the sides of an upwardly opening socket 35 in the rake 30.

As in theprevious form of the invention, the teeth 22a have a base portion 23a, and outer portion 24a, and a tip 25a. In practice, the tips 25a should be about 0.25 inches above the backing of the shag carpet 5.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the device lb has a housing 2b provided with a handle 3 suitably connected thereto. The housing 2b has wheels 7 which rotate freely and which have no power supplied to them other than when the operator pushes the device. In this form of the invention, a horizontal support 36 is mounted within the housing 2b and has two vertical openings 37 therein for receiving two vertical shafts 38 and 39. An electric motor 6b is suitably connected to the housing 2b of support 36. The motor 6b has a shaft 40 with a double pulley 41 thereon for receiving the belts 42 and 43. Each vertical shaft 38 and 39 has a pulley 44 thereon above said support 36 adapted to receive the belts 42 and 43 from the pulley 41. The shafts 38 and 39 have rotating rake means such as disks 45 and 46 with teeth 22b thereon secured beneath the support 36. The teeth 22b contact the shag rug 5 so as to be able to fluff up the nap. The rake disks 45 and 46 rotate in opposite directions, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 11 and the teeth 22b are only located near the peripheries of the disks 45 and 46 to prevent twisting or swirling of the shag nap on the carpet. The direction of rotation is such that the disks 45 and 46 are moving rearwardly at their adjacent portions.

This device 1b is pushed by the operator by hand on the wheels 7. The motor 6 simply provides the power for moving the counter rotating disks 45 and 46.

A hand powered device 1c is shown in FIGS. 13-15. In this embodiment of the invention, there is a housing 2c with a handle 3 connected thereto. This hand powered model device 10 has no electric motor but has two sctsvof drive wheels 47 andeach set is connected to a smooth drive axle 48 around which belts 50 and 51 are trained so that the drive wheels 47 may drive the belts 50 and 51 connected to the axles 48. The housing 2c is provided with a rotatable front rake drum 13 and a rotatable rear rake drum 14, which have rows of teeth 22 and are mounted parallel to said drive axles 48. The belt 50 is connected between the front drive axle 48 and the front rake drum 13 so as to cause said rake drum 13 to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 15 so that the teeth 22 at the bottom which are in contact with the shag rug are moving rearwardly.

The belt 51 is connected between the rear drive axle 48 and the rear rake drum 14 so as to cause said rake drum 14 to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 15 so that the teeth 22 at the bottom which are in contact with the shag rug 5 are rotating forwardly. Thus, both rake drums l3 and 14 sweep in under the housing 2c in a direction away from their respective drive wheels 47 and rotate in opposite directions.

In all forms of the foregoing invention, the teeth 22 which contact and fluff up the shag rug 5 are made from a plastic material or from rubber material or from some other suitable material which is basically rigid but which can be bent slightly if resistance is met. The wheels 7 which rest on the shag rugs 5 are free to rotate on axles and are not power driven. They are provided with spaced teeth 22 to minimize the formation of wheel tracks in the rug. These teeth 22 may be made from plastic or rubber or other material, and are fairly rigid but can be bent slightly if resistance is encountered. The fingers 9 on the wheels 7 are shorter than the rake teeth 22.

The housing 2 may be made of molded plastic material or metal or other suitable material. The handle 3 may be made of plastic, wood, or metal and should preferably be rigid. The handle 3 may contain hooks 27 for storage of the electric cord 28 in those forms of the invention which use electric motors. Suitable bearings (not shown) maybe provided between the wheels and axles, between the wheels and the housing, between the rake drums and axles, and wherever else required to reduce friction.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for raising the nap of shag rugs, said device comprising: a rigid base, at least three wheels connected to the base for engaging a shag rug and supporting the base in an elevated position above the rug, the wheels being arranged to support the base in a stable condition, a substantially inflexible member mounted on the base for movement relative thereto, prongs mounted firmly on the movable member and projecting downwardly therefrom into the nap of the rug, the prongs having blunted side faces so as to avoid damaging the nap, the prongs further terminating above the lowermost portions of the wheels so as to contact only the nap of the rug, and drive means mounted on the base and connected to the movable member for moving that member relative to the base, whereby the prongs will pass through the nap of the rug to raise that nap.

2. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member is rotatable about an axis and the prongs extend radially outwardly therefrom.

3. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member comprises two rake drums rotatably mounted in said housing.

4. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein the axis of each rake drum is perpendicular to the line of travel of the device.

5. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein each of the two rake drums rotate in opposite directions with their lower portions rotating toward each other and their upper portions rotating away from each other.

6. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein each of the two rake drums has prongs thereon which are spaced differently from the prongs on the other rake drum;

7. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein the prongs are substantially rigid but are bendable if resistance is encountered.

8. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said'd'rive means comprises an electric motor, said electric motor being mounted with the shaft thereof positioned parallel to the axis of rotation for the inflexible member.

9. The device set forth in claim 8 wherein said electric motor is connected to said inflexible member by means of a belt.

10 The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member comprises two horizontally rotating disks mounted on rotating vertical shafts.

11. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member comprises an oscillating plate mounted on and below a support in said base, wherein the drive means comprises an electric motor mounted withinsaid housing, and connecting means mounted connecting said electric motor with said plate for moving said plate from side to side onsaid base.

12. The device set forth in claim 11 wherein said connecting means comprises an eccentric, and wherein said plate has socket therein, said eccentric being positioned within said socket.

13. A device according to claim 1 wherein the wheels have outwardly projecting teeth which engage the rug and between which the rug nap extends so that the wheels do not flatten the rug nap as the device moves over the rug. 

1. A device for raising the nap of shag rugs, said device comprising: a rigid base, at least three wheels connected to the base for engaging a shag rug and supporting the base in an elevated position above the rug, the wheels being arranged to support the base in a stable condition, a substantially inflexible member mounted on the base for movement relative thereto, prongs mounted firmly on the movable member and projecting downwardly therefrom into the nap of the rug, the prongs having blunted side faces so as to avoid damaging the nap, the prongs further terminating above the lowermost portions of the wheels so as to contact only the nap of the rug, and drive means mounted on the base and connected to the movable member for moving that member relative to the base, whereby the prongs will pass through the nap of the rug to raise that nap.
 2. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member is rotatable about an axis and the prongs extend radially outwardly therefrom.
 3. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member comprises two rake drums rotatably mounted in said housing.
 4. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein the axis of each rake drum is perpendicular to the line of travel of the device.
 5. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein each of the two rake drums rotate in opposite directions with their lower portions rotating toward each other and their upper portions rotating away from each other.
 6. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein each of the two rake drums has prongs thereon which are spaced differently from the prongs on the other rake drum.
 7. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein the prongs are substantially rigid but are bendable if resistance is encountered.
 8. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises an electric motor, said electric motor being mounted with the shaft thereof positioned parallel to the axis of rotation for the inflexible member.
 9. The device set forth in claim 8 wherein said electric motor is connected to said inflexible member by means of a belt. 10 The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member comprises two horizontally rotating disks mounted on rotating vertical shafts.
 11. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflexible member comprises an oscillating plate mounted on and below a support in said base, wherein the drive means comprises an electric motor mounted within said housing, and connecting means mounted connecting said electric motor with said plate for moving said plate from side to side on said base.
 12. The device set forth in claim 11 wherein said connecting means comprises an eccentric, and wherein said plate has socket therein, said eccentric being positioned within said socket.
 13. A device according to claim 1 wherein the wheels have outwardly projecting teeth which engage the rug and between which the rug nap extends so that the wheels do not flatten the rug nap as the device moves over the rug. 